If you’re a home baking enthusiast, you’ll probably be aware that one of the best ways to ensure your dough rises consistently and efficiently is to use a proofing box.
The problem is, they can cost a lot of money to buy. But if you’re willing to make your own, you can save a bit of cash – and if you want to try, here are 19 plans for a DIY proofing box to show you how it’s done.
Table of Contents
1. How to Make Your Own Proofing Box
If you’re a bread-making rookie, you’ll probably want to learn all about how proofing boxes help dough rise faster and more effectively, and this blog has all the info you need. After that, it teaches you how to build a simple DIY version that will instantly improve your results, making this essential reading for anyone new to home bread baking.
2. How to Make a Cheap Homemade Proofing Box
At the beginning of this video, this YouTuber explains that he’s going to show us how to make an effective proofing box that costs a fraction of the price of a ready-made one consisting of only four components. This means that if you’re serious about baking bread but don’t want to spend big bucks on a proofing box, this is a plan you should appreciate.
3. Homemade Proofing Box
The wooden proofing box in this plan looks fantastic, and if you have a few basic woodworking skills and the necessary tools, it should be easy to construct too. The plan doesn’t include extensive instructions, but most DIYers should be able to work it all out, and when it’s done, this will be a proofing box you’ll be able to use for many years to come.
4. Safe DIY Bread Proof Box
Whenever you undertake any DIY project, safety should always be paramount, and that’s why this plan is one of the best. In his video, this YouTuber shows us how to make a proofing box with built-in safety features. This means you’ll be able to prepare your dough safe in the knowledge that nothing will go wrong, something that makes this plan stand out from the rest.
5. Simple Baker Trick – The Proofing Box
Baking perfect bread is something of an esoteric art, so it’s always a great idea to pick up tips from the pros. In this blog, you get to learn all about proofing boxes, why they will help you achieve better results – and most importantly, how to make one of your own without spending a fortune.
6. Easy Proofing Box for Yeasted Doughs
The proofing box this YouTuber shows us how to make is among the easiest and least expensive we’ve seen. The main items you’ll need are a plastic box and a dish towel – he says he picked his up at Walmart for around five bucks. We love the simplicity of this idea, but it looks like it works perfectly – so why not have a go and see if it works for you too?
7. How to Make an Oven Proofing Box
Here’s another super-simple plan that isn’t much more complicated than the one in #6, and as this blogger writes, all you’ll need to recreate it is hot water, a baking pan, a thermometer and an enclosed space. Once you’ve collected the necessary items, the plan provides detailed instructions for what to do, so you can look forward to making delicious home-baked bread in no time.
8. Handcrafted Bread Proofing Box
The proofing box we see in this video is one of our favourites, and this YouTuber is happy to show it off since it was made for her as a gift by her boyfriend. Unfortunately, there are no details for how to replicate the design, but it should give you a few ideas – or perhaps you can just find a boyfriend or girlfriend who can make you something similar!
9. The Proof is in the Box
As this blog explains, the main difference between home-baked bread and bread bought from a bakery is the proofer – letting dough rise naturally on the kitchen counter just doesn’t cut it. However, if you want to improve the quality of the bread you bake yourself, it’s not a difficult job to rig up a proofing box – and this blog tells you one way of doing it.
10. Homemade Bread Proofing Box
This video is an interesting watch since it shows you that it’s quite possible to create a makeshift proofing box without the need for advanced tools, equipment or DIY skills. In fact, the main component is a regular cooler, and altogether it cost him around $62 Canadian (less than $50 US). That’s nothing compared to the cost of buying a proofer, so this is a plan that can save you plenty of cash.
11. Turning Your Oven into a Proof Box
In this tutorial, you’ll learn a different approach to creating a proofer. Rather than building a proofing box from scratch, it teaches you how to use your oven to create the same effect. This method could hardly be easier, and if this works for you, there’s no need to go to any further trouble.
12. Sourdough Proofing Box
The proofer this DIY baker has created is undoubtedly highly impressive, but some people might feel it’s a little excessive for their amateur needs. However, if you’re determined to create the most perfect sourdough possible and you’re willing to go the extra mile to achieve it, building something like this could certainly be an option.
13. Making a Proofing Box for Bread Baking
This is a fascinating video to watch for anyone who wants to learn about the science behind breadmaking. In it, this YouTuber teaches us all about the theory of baking leavened bread and creating perfect sourdough. He also explains how to DIY a simple proofing box that will allow you to achieve superior results. A highly informative video that’s well worth watching.
14. How to Make a Proofing Box from Big Oven
If you are just looking for a simple plan for a quick and easy proofing box, this one could be just what you need. It teaches you how to make a proofer from a Styrofoam cooler and a few other basic items, which is great if you want to keep things as inexpensive and uncomplicated as possible.
15. Proofing Box – Part 1
For those who are willing to spend more time and effort creating something more substantial and that will last longer than a simple makeshift proofer, this plan could be a great option. In it, you learn how to make an impressive wooden proofer that allows you to accurately control the environment to produce superior results. This is the first video in a three-part series – so check out the others too to see the next steps.
16. How to Make a Proofing Box from Whole Grain 100
As this blog explains, finding the ideal spot in your home for proofing can be problematic since it’s hard to control the environment closely enough. The only real solution is to use a proofing box, and if you want to DIY one rather than buying an expensive pre-made model, this plan gives you the details of a simple and affordable way to do it.
17. Do It Yourself Bread Proofing Box
To give you an idea of how much you can save by DIYing your proofer, this YouTuber suggests a bought model can cost at least $170 while his homemade version can be built for around $50. Some people will also find it more satisfying to make bread using a proofer they created themselves, and if you think you might like to try, this tutorial has all the details.
18. Proofing Box – Homemade DIY Options
If you want to be able to bake good quality bread at home, you need to be able to accurately and consistently control the proofing, this much is clear. But the good news is, if you don’t want to invest a fortune, it’s simple to create a DIY proofer for far less than it would cost to buy one. In this blog, you’ll find several suggestions for how to do it, so give it a read and see if you think any would work for you.
19. Do I Need a Proving Drawer to Make Great Bread?
You’ll hear lots of people saying you need a proofer to bake perfect bread – but is it really true? Although lots of home bakers swear by them, this baker (a professional, by the way) argues that perhaps they might not be necessary. He also has a few suggestions for how to get by without one, so his video could be worth checking out before you decide to buy a proofer or to start building one yourself.
Plenty of great plans to follow
As you can see, there are plenty of great plans to follow for building proofing boxes, from rough-and-ready makeshift versions to highly impressive and professional-looking models.
We hope you’ve enjoyed watching and reading these plans as much as we did finding them for you – and above all, we hope we’ve helped you find the inspiration you needed for building a DIY proofing box of your own.